Car-coupling



(No Model.)

' W. D. SWART.

CAR COUPLING. No. 363,860. Patented May 31', 1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM D. SWART, or NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 363,860. dated May 31, 1887.

Application filed Marth 15, 1867. Serial No. 230,954. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, VILLIAM D. SWART,1L citizen of the UnitcdStates, residing at New ark, Essex county,'New Jersey, have invented .certain new and useful Improvements in Car- Gouplings, .fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention belongs to that class of carcouplings in which aseries ofhorizontal wedgepointed blocks are retained within a recess in the head of the coupling,and are movable vertically to permit the entrance of the couplinglink when the latter is jammed between their wedge-pointed ends.-

My improvement consists in a construction adapted to grasp the link with more or less firmness or rigidity when first inserted between theblocks, and to permit the free movement of the blocks to accommodate the oscillations 'of the link when the cars are fully l coupled together and in motion. I form the head to fit the wedge-blocks very freely, and form each block with upright lateral flanges, and with a projecting tongue fitted against the inside of the head. I also employ a movable slide within the top of the head to support the coupling-bolt when not in its operative position, and form the upper wedge-block without the upright flange common to the others.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a coupling-head through the center of the coupling-bolt with the slide retracted. Fig. 2 is a similar section without the link, showing the slide in its normal position. Fig. 3 is aplan in section on line 00 .r' in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on line 3 y in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a front view of the coupling-head, showing the wedge-points of the block; and Fig. 6 is a front view of one of the wedges.

A is the couplinghead; a, the blocks; a, their lateral flanges. e is the slide which supports the lower end of the coupling-bolt, such slide being pivoted at its rear end to a vertical lever, f This lever extends downward behind the blocks, each of which is provided with a notch, g, to permit its entrance, and the recess A within the head is also provided with a vertical slot, a to admit the lever when pushed backward. The lever is pivoted in the bottom of the head at y, and is provided with an arm and weight, w, to press the slide normally forward.

h is the coupling-bolt, and t is a part of the coupling-link, shown inserted between the blocks in Fig. 1. In this figure the couplinglink is shown in contact with the lever f, as would be the case when the cars are being coupled and the link is jammed betweentwo opposedsetsof wedges; Theslideis provided with a notch, 6 near its front end, to receive the end of the bolt h, and when the slide is thus retracted the bolt drops off the end of the same and engages the link, as shown in Fig. 1.

Holes Z are formed in the top and bottom of the head to grasp the bolt. Thelateral flanges a upon the edges of the blocks are flared outwardly to guide the link when entering the coupling, and the blocksbeing separated and sustained upon one another by such flanges, considerable space exists between them, into which the link is readily inserted.

In preference to fitting the rear ends of the blocks close'to the head, I construct the rear end of the head with two vertical ribs, 8, integral therewith, and form the ends of the blocks with notches to fit the same to enable such blocks to slide freely upon such ribs.

The cavity A within the head is formed larger than the edges of the wedge-blocks, and

provided at each side of the block to steady it longitudinally within the cavity.

A vertical flange, m, is provided at each side of the cavity in front, against which the front end of each of the lugso and-the sides of the outer ends of the flanges a are fitted, and a groove, '11 is formed in each of the flanges m, just below the top block, to permit the successive introduction of the blocks within the cavityby the passageof the tongues through such grooves. The top block is first introduced lugs o are and lifted toward the slide before the introduction of the other blocks.

- In Fig. 2 no link is shown in the blocks, and it is obvious that the slide in its normal position would prevent thelifting of the top block when pressed downward by the weight of the pin resting thereon. The blocks would, however, lift to admit the coupling-link, and thus permit the latter to be pushed between the links without affecting the lever f until the latter were jammed againstthelever, when the slide would be retracted and the link released, as in Fig. 1.

Each block is provided with a vertical hole, Z, to permit the passage of the bolt h.

I find in practice that the weight of the coupling-bolt resting upon the slide a, which bears upon the top block, presses downward with sufficient force to hold the link firm enough between the lower blocks to prevent its tipping before it it is coupled at its outer end to another coupling-head.

I am aware that it is notnew to use a series of blocks to operate by their weight in holding a link within a coupling-head before the cars are coupled, and I do not therefore claim the use of such blocks, broadly; but I have distinguished my invention from such a use of the blocks by showing them in combination with the slide and its actuatinglever, such construction affording the blocks the desired freedom of movement when the cars are coupled, while it prevents the vertical movement of the blocks before the link is pushed against the lever f.

Having set forth my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a car-coupling, the combination, will] the head A, having flanges m, provided with grooves n, the bolt-holesl Z, and the bolt h, of the series of blocks formed each with perforated plate a, lateral flanges a, and lugs 0,

all substantially as shown and described.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the head A, having ribs 8, and flanges m, provided with grooves n, and the bolt-holes Z Z, and the bolt h, of the series of blocks formed each with perforated plate a, lateral flanges a, and lugs 0, the front ends of the blocks being held in place by the outer ends of the flanges a and the lugs 0, and the rear ends by the ribs 8, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a car-coupling containing a series of horizontal wedge-pointed blocks, the combination, with the blocks, of a head recessed to retain the same, a hole in the top of the head to receive the couplingbolt, a vertical hole in each block being provided beneath the same, a slide fitted to move longitudinally within the top of the recess containing the blocks and resting upon said blocks, a lever having its free end pivoted to the rear end of the slide and weighted, as described, notchesfor the lever in the rear ends of the blocks, and vertical ribs at the rear end of the recess within the head, notches being provided in the rear end of the blocks to fit the same, the whole ar' ranged and operated substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM D. SWAR'I.

Witnesses:

Tnos. S. CRANE, FREDERICK O. FISCHER. 

